2011 Meetings

2011

Get Healthy for Next Year’s Vintage, December 7, 3:00pm, with Larry Bettiga, UC Cooperative Extension. Disease pressure got you down? Healthify Your Vines for Next Year’s Vintage. This was a challenging year in the vineyard, with dismaying disease pressure. Larry Bettiga will talk about what we can do to improve vine health and transition to a healthy new year for the 2012 vintage. Location: Bargetto Winery, 3535 No. Main St., Soquel.

Speakers: Michael Schmidt, Spec Trellising; Plus: Rich Casale of NRCS and Bruce Manildi
Michael Schmidt of Spec Trellising (www.spectrellising.com/) will talk about different types of netting and how best to apply them in your vineyard. He is also available to address issues about trellising and supplies. As well, Rich Casale of NRCS and Bruce Manildi will showcase the wide-ranging projects undertaken at Manildi Vineyards under the NRCS’ EQIP program. These include: mulching; annual and permanent ground cover; erosion control; hedgerows; irrigation (lines, reservoirs); water management; water catchment; solar pumps; flow meters; and transition to organic. Get an idea of how you might benefit from participation in the EQIP program.

The BBQ: This is a potluck event this year. Please bring food to share according to your last name (see the meeting notice for details).
Bruce will roast a pig from Fogline Farms, a CSA at Manildi Vineyards & Orchards.

Santa Cruz County Industry Meeting on the EGVM Quarantine: Tuesday, June 28, 10:00am-12:00noon, at UC Cooperative Extension Auditorium, Watsonville (agenda): This is a meeting called by the Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner to apprise growers and wineries of the quarantine. The approximate EGVM quarantine boundary area consists of Park Avenue/Victory Lane on the west, the Summit on the north, Mt. Madonna/Green Valley Road on the east, and Buena Vista/San Andreas Road on the south. Anyone who grows, harvests, transports, or receives regulated host material within the quarantine boundary is affected by the quarantine regulations and should attend this meeting. UC Cooperative Extension Auditorium, 1432 Freedom Boulevard, Watsonville, CA 95076

Tailgate Meeting on the EGVM, Wednesday, April 27, 3:00pm, at Biagini Vineyards. Speakers:
– Larry Bettiga, UC Cooperative Extension
– to be confirmed – a representative from the CDFA trapping program

The meeting will cover:
– identification of Lobesia botrana, and its lifecycle
– local trapping results
– spray regimen and options
– harvest protocols – for vineyards and wineries, including transport

Weather: What we might look forward to this coming growing season. March 30, 3:00, at Cooper-Garrod. Speaker: Jan Null, meteorologist. On the heels of a challenging growing season last year, what might this year hold in store for us? It’s always a moving target, but the El Niño/La Niña weather cycles are characterized by certain predictable patterns that Jan will share with us. What phase are we in this year, what might it bring to us, and what might this mean for our farming practices this year? Meeting Location: Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards, 22645 Garrod Rd., Saratoga 95070

Through the 1980s-90s Jan Null was the lead weather forecaster for the National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he conducted extensive research into California rainfall and drought as affected by the ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) patterns. From 1998-2004 he was the weather columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. He has been Adjunct Professor of Meteorology (1987-2009) for the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State Univ. And currently he is a certified consulting meteorologist, principal of Golden Gate Weather Services in Saratoga, and weather examiner on Examiner.com. See his posts.

This program introduces the CSWA’s new statewide Sustainability Certification program to the Santa Cruz Mts. It also includes a self-assessment workshop that will give you an opportunity to (re)assess your operations and learn more about recommended sustainable practices. Click here for the Agenda. No alcohol or smoking at the Community Center, please.

This program is for growers and wineries.

Certification is based on doing the self-assessment.

It is for you even if you have done the self-assessment before.

It is for you if you are doing this for the first time, or just want to find out more about sustainable practices and the certification program.

Even if you are not interested in pursuing certification, the self-assessment is a valuable educational opportunity.
– Self-assessments can now be done online. If you have a laptop with wireless connection, bring it to this session. You will get a password to set up your online account when you call to RSVP, and you can work online from the session. If you do not bring a laptop, you will work from the workbook.

If you have previously done the self-assessment: please bring your binder/workbook. If you previously submitted your results, they will be available to you online once you set up your account.

If you are doing this for the first time, you will get a binder at the session.

This program is free!

For more information on the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook and certification go here.
For more information about the value of sustainable practices and this program, click here.

To serve the common interests of all Santa Cruz Mountains appellation winegrape producers, and to enhance the quality, profitability and reputation of winegrape production in the appellation through promotion and education.